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National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Office of Inspector General
Washington, D.C. 20546

April 21, 2003

RELEASE 2003-033: FORMER CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE INDICTED FOR ALLEGED
THEFT OF NASA PROPERTY

On March 31, 2003, Shawn P. Kieffer, a former project supervisor for
a NASA contractor, was indicted on federal charges of theft of
government property and making a false statement.

Kieffer allegedly stole a NASA-owned Tektronic 495P spectrum analyzer 
valued at more than $10,000 in 1999.  NASA uses spectrum analyzers to 
measure radio frequency signals (RF).    Kieffer later sold the 
analyzer on eBay, but told investigators he had not stolen it and did 
not know where it was.

Kieffer is currently serving concurrent one-year sentences in
Galveston County Jail in Texas, after pleading guilty in January to
three unrelated theft charges.

This investigation was conducted by the NASA Office of Inspector 
General and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Police 
Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Minnis, Southern District 
of Texas, Houston, Texas, is handling the prosecution.

For more information on this release, please contact Joseph Kroener, 
Acting Executive Officer, NASA Office of Inspector General, at
(202)358-2558.

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Hotline at:  800-424-9183, TDD 800-535-8134.

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